International students are dressed in traditional Chinese attire. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

International students from Soochow University in Suzhou got a hands-on taste of rural life on Oct 30, joining local farmers in harvesting taro and rice in Wanfeng village, Chengxiang town, Taicang.

Students try their hand at digging up taro. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

At a taro farm in the village, the students dug up the tubers themselves before taking them to a traditional kitchen, where they were prepared over a wood-fired stove. Everyone then gathered to enjoy the freshly cooked dishes.

A student from Paris, whose parents are originally from Cameroon, tried her hand at making scallion-oil taro with the help of a local chef.

Her parents also cook taro back in Cameroon, she said, though in different ways. Seeing how it is prepared in China made her eager to give the local recipe a try.

Students pose for a group photo in a rice field after taking part in the autumn harvest activities in Wanfeng village. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

The students also headed to the village's farmland, where they picked up sickles and joined in cutting rice, getting a closer look at the work behind the autumn harvest.